Christopher’s Books A Neighborhood Bestseller

Christopher’s Books occupies a first-floor space in a gracious Victorian building on 18th Street that one hundred years ago housed a pharmacy called Wilsons. Traces of this past are imprinted in the walls. Now hidden behind a cabinet stocked with cards, bookstore owner Tee Minot discovered, 10 years ago, remnants of aging wallpaper advertising the drugstore’s items and prices when she peeled back a layer of white paint. 

Christopher’s Books was founded in 1991 by Christopher Ellison, an attorney and venture capitalist from New Zealand. He and his wife, Mary Ann, had immigrated to Potrero Hill with their two-year-old daughter, Claire. A car accident left Ellison wondering what he should do with his life. He decided to create a neighborhood business, opening a bookstore in a community which at the time had few retail shops. 

Minot’s journey to owning the bookstore started with her rapport with Ellison. 

“We had become friends, and I would just come in and talk to him,” she said. “He proposed a partnership… I became a partner in May of ‘92”. 

Ellison relinquished his ownership share in 1994. He and his family, which ultimately grew to include four daughters, wanted to try their hands at dairy farming, prompting them to return to New Zealand, where they cultivate two farms on the North Island. They periodically returned to California, including to enable their daughters to attend Tamalpais High School. 

 After a brief collaboration with another person, Minot became the bookstore’s sole proprietor in 1996.

“He [Ellison] has worked for the store on and off throughout the years. He’s always been a part of the soul of the store and he’s an amazing guy and we love him” Minot explained. 

Jackson Tejeda became a co-owner five years ago. He grew up on Connecticut Street, around the corner from the store, graduating from Rooftop School and Lick-Wilmerding High School. His connection to Christopher’s started before he was even born, through his mother, whom Minot has known “forever.”

“She used to come into the bookstore quite a bit when she was pregnant with Jackson.” said Minot. 

Tejeda left Potrero Hill to attend college in Portland, Oregon, after which he lived in Brooklyn with his sister for a brief period. He always wanted to return to the Hill, drawn to being near family and longtime friends. After returning to the Bay Area, Tejeda pitched Minot on working at the bookstore. 

I wanted to “learn everything I can about bookselling. I want to work with you. I want to be at Christopher’s.” Tejeda said he told Minot.

For a tiny shop, Christopher’s offers a wide range of books, with sections on fiction, memoir, nonfiction, children’s books, travel, art, and politics. 

According to Minot, publishers are currently pushing “romantasy,” fiction combining romance and fantasy which they claim will be a best-selling genre. Publishers promote books they describe as being the “next best romantasy, destined to become the best romantasy ever,” Minot said. 

Romantasy is a relatively new genre. According to Minot, before its emergence, adult coloring books and disaster non-fiction topped publishers’ best-seller lists. 

However, Christopher’s doesn’t just follow trends, instead selecting books that “are representative of the taste of our customers. We try to hit the sweet spot of books we think will sell, and books we want to put into people’s hands,” Tejeda said. 

Because of this approach, bestsellers at Christiopher’s don’t necessarily align with the genres publishers proclaim will be the next big hit. Staff track customer requests, orders, and reviews. They’re especially proud of their backlist, a selection of books that have staying power. These include H for Hawk, by Helen Macdonald, Upstream by Mary Oliver, and Captain Corelli’s Mandolin, by Louis de Bernières. Perennially popular authors include Louise Erdrich, Iris Murdoch, Marilynne Robsinson, Toni Morrison, and James Salter. 

The most popular genre at Christopher’s – children’s books – is, according to Trejeda, a reflection of Potrero Hill, which has long been attractive to families. 

“Our bestselling section is going to be kids’ books. There’s a lot of families here. Lots of people come in with their kids on the weekend, or after school. A lot of times, people are on their way to birthday parties, and they haven’t gotten a gift yet, so they’ll pop in and grab a kid’s book,” said Trejeda.

Character-driven literary fiction also does well. 

Christopher’s offers staff recommendations, a book club, and an Instagram presence, along with pet treats. Local teenagers pop in after a meal with friends at one of the many nearby restaurants to browse the offerings. On any given day a steady stream of customers stop to chat with Minot and Tejada as if they’re old friends. Which they often are. A majority of the bookstore’s six staff members live in the neighborhood. 

“A large percentage of them [the customers] we know by name, or we know their dogs’ names, or we know their children.  Families are very supportive of the store. And the customers we get on the weekends…, they really enjoy their time at the store, and I think it brings them back to the neighborhood,” said Minot.